We do it one kid at a time... I make a limitations decision (2 weeks worth of clothes), and the oldest goes and clears all her drawers and hangers. We do the sort/try-on/choose, get the donation pile started, fill the trash bag with the trashed stuff, and then make a list of fill-in pieces she'll need to avoid being naked all winter.

Then, roll on down to #2, and so on. Since mine are mixed sex, opposite seasons, and very different body styles, we actually end up with very, very few hand-me-downs, but we do end up with LARGE donation sacks.

Have fun... put on music, eat chocolate, bribe the little beggars to wear the clothes for 30 seconds.

I also have a bin of size 5 clothes (that vary widely in actual physical size, of course) in the hall waiting to be tried upon a 4 year old boy who is somewhere between sizes and none too thrilled about trying things on... He considers it a huge imposition to have to stop to dress every morning, so the clothing bin thing? Not popular.

When we lived in Colorado we never changed out the clothes - clothes for all seasons hung in the closets year round and it was a beautiful thing. Now that we're back in the Midwest I've been reintroduced to this unpleasant task. Our basement explodes twice a year (more than that really), with all these goofy clothes.

And then my big problem? When I finally got them all up I realized my 4 year old had no less than 25 pairs of pants. 25. So today I had to go through again and pull about half of those out for goodwill.

Because I really like handling childrens clothes over and over and over and over and over...

I make piles for everyone, and when they don't want to fit I just wash the clothes when they reach the laundry and don't return them. In time they have almost nothing left and want to have the winterclothes. So they get them, one by one.
Thet have to ask, because I won't return the winterclothes that fit untill they have tried them all.
Makes a bit of a mess in the house, but it works.

On my gratitude list I would include all the Works for Me Wednesday posters and bloggers who are so generous sharing their tips and their lives. I have learned so, so much. And many, many thanks to Shannon for building a community of positive women and moms. Your blog has been a shot of empowerment so many times when I've needed it. God's blessings to everyone!

I wish I had some tip for you on this Shannon, BUT I DON'T. I hate it too and it takes me 2 wks+ to do it. If I could, each child would have a huge dresser that would fit all seasons of clothes, but that aint never gonna happen.

Nothings working for me too right now. The change of season, colds and viruses going around and the holidays right around the corner. Maybe we need to come up with a name for this time of the year like we have for that time of the month.

I'm SO sorry you are sorting clothes.
I wait until the frost is on the ground to put up the shorts and T-shirts.
Try doing it for eight kids - 7 months to 12 years old. Half boys, half girls.
It's a nightmare. Really.
Hope it goes quickly!

Although not my favorite thing to do, my girls and I like going through and seeing what will fit, what we can give away and what we need to buy. And because there is 6 years between my girls, it's fun to see my youngest daughter in classic style clothes that my oldest wore.

I also love a big bag of give away clothes! Purging the house of unwanted/unneeded items is a happiness of mine.

All of that to say, if I was your neighbor, I'd come give you a hand. Hang in there, you can do it! :)

the clothes thing is the bane. It's not just seasonal but when they grow. Help! And it's worse when you live in Texas and the seasons are so contrary. It's fall, it's summer, it's fall, it's summer, WINTER!!!, summer again- hi!- WINTER, WINTER, WINTER.
HELPPPPPPpppp....

So glad to hear so many people confessing they hate this job of switching clothes! I thought it was just me (sheesh, don't my girlfriends and I TALK??). I got the clothes switched, but the boxes of giveaways are still sitting around. . . sighhh

I'm currently in the middle of a complete overhaul/ organization of things- all things. This will also include switching seasonal items. It's an all-consuming job, but so durn satisfying when it's done!